Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 12 March 2025

Content:

1. Building compassion into the health-care structure
2. More signs of overhauling the compliance framework

Building compassion into the health-care structure

Context

• The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on February 7, 2025, titled “Compassion and Primary Health Care”, emphasizing compassion as a transformative force in health care.
• WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for the role of compassion to be explored in improving the quality of health-care services.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues , Health)

Practice Question : Compassion is the foundation upon which a people-centric health-care system must be built. In the light of the recent WHO report, discuss the role of compassionate health care in improving health outcomes and reducing burnout among medical professionals. Suggest measures to institutionalize compassion in India’s health-care framework. (250 words)

Significance of Compassion in Health Care

Impact on Patients

• Studies indicate that compassionate care leads to faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.
  • Stanford University (CCARE) Research: Patients treated with compassion recover more quickly.
  • Johns Hopkins Study on Cancer Patients:
    • 40 extra seconds of compassionate communication led to reduced patient anxiety and better recovery outcomes.

Impact on Health-Care Professionals

• Reduced stress and burnout: Compassion helps doctors and nurses avoid empathy fatigue.
• Improved job satisfaction due to stronger patient-doctor relationships.
• Leads to high-quality, sustainable health care.

Understanding the Difference: Compassion vs. Other Emotional Responses

• Compassionate health care = Mindful problem-solving + Emotional stability + Action-driven care.

Compassion in Mental Health

• Urgency: Depression is being seen as the “next pandemic” due to its widespread impact.
• Case Study: Pradeep (A Rescued Child at Bal Ashram)
  • Labeled as a “cursed child” and nearly sacrificed.
  • After receiving compassionate care, he overcame trauma, started socializing, and shared his story.
• Key takeaway: Compassion transforms mental health rehabilitation by fostering trust and healing.

Strategies to Integrate Compassion into Health Care

1. Awareness and Leadership Commitment
   1. Compassion should be a decision-making parameter in hospitals, think tanks, and industry leadership.
   1. Shift from a profit-driven approach to patient-centric care.

• Training and Capacity Building
  • Invest in quality training for doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff.
  • Differentiate between empathy (emotionally draining) and compassion (sustainable care).
  • Incorporate experiential learning and practical case studies.

• Equitable and Accessible Health Care
  • Compassionate health care must be available to all, irrespective of socio-economic status, gender, or caste.
  • Universal health care policies should integrate compassion as a fundamental principle.

More signs of overhauling the compliance framework

Context : The Persistent Issue of Corruption in Business Compliance

• The “India Business Corruption Survey 2024” highlights the pervasiveness of bribery in business operations.
  • 66% of businesses admitted to paying bribes.
  • 54% stated that bribes were necessary to expedite processes, secure permits, or comply with regulations.
• Sectors most affected: Labour, GST, income tax, pollution, provident fund, property registration, drugs, and health departments.
• Impact on Investment:
  • EY-FICCI survey reveals that 80% of respondents believe corruption deters Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
  • Regulatory unpredictability discourages global businesses from investing in India.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ) , GS 3(Economy)

Practice Question : India’s compliance framework is plagued by excessive regulation, corruption, and unpredictability. Discuss the key challenges and suggest measures to create a transparent, efficient, and business-friendly regulatory environment. (250 words)

Government Reforms and the Jan Vishwas Act

• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 was a step toward decriminalizing business laws.
  • Removed 180 provisions that imposed imprisonment clauses.
• Budget 2025 introduced Jan Vishwas 2.0, proposing decriminalization of 100 more provisions.
• Challenge: Over 20,000 provisions with imprisonment clauses remain untouched, keeping businesses vulnerable to bureaucratic harassment.

Compliance Complexity and Corruption Nexus

• Regulatory officials often misuse compliance laws to demand bribes.
• Subjectivity in inspections leads to arbitrary factory shutdowns and penalties.
• Excessive regulatory updates create uncertainty:
  • In 2023 alone, 9,420 compliance changes were issued (average of 36 per day).
  • Such frequent updates either indicate poor policy planning or deliberate intent to enable corruption.
• Case Study: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
  • New directive ensures annual compliance updates, reducing unpredictability.
  • Similar measures should be extended to other regulatory bodies.

Labour Law Reforms: A Stalled Initiative

• Labour laws are under the Concurrent List, requiring both Central and State action.
• 29 colonial-era laws replaced by four new labour codes, but implementation remains stalled.
• Need for state cooperation to operationalize the long-overdue labour reforms.

The Case for a Digital-First Compliance System

• Current Scenario:
  • Setting up a factory requires submitting hundreds of self-attested and notarized documents across 40+ departments.
  • Multiple identity numbers (PAN, GSTIN, CIN, professional tax, factory licence, etc.) create inefficiencies.

• Proposed Solution:
  • A unified ‘One Nation, One Business’ Identity System
    • Single digital identity for businesses.
    • Uses Digi Locker to store verified, tamper-proof documents.
    • Could reduce approval time from months to days.
• Success Model: Digi Yatra in airport security, which streamlined passenger verification.

Global Competition: The Urgency of Reform

• United States Example:
  • New Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is simplifying business regulations.
  • A more efficient US economy ($27 trillion GDP) will attract global investment.

• India at Risk:
  • With excessive bureaucracy, India ($4 trillion GDP) may fail to attract global capital and talent.
  • Without a predictable and transparent compliance framework, investors may choose other emerging markets.

Conclusion: The Need for Decisive Action

• Jan Vishwas 2.0 is a step forward but not enough.
• The government must focus on:
  • Predictable regulatory updates (like FSSAI’s annual update model).
  • Implementing labour reforms without further delay.
  • Digitization of compliance for faster and corruption-free approvals.
  • Establishing a single business identity system to streamline processes.